Normal

Something More #1

by Danielle Pearl

This is an alternate cover edition for ASIN B00MN075MG.

It's the kind of situation most people would dread. Starting at a new high school, in the middle of my senior year, in a new town, in a new state. I know no one. No one knows me. That's what I'm counting on.

A year ago, Aurora "Rory" Pine was just a normal teenage girl - just as sweet and naive as the fairy tale princess she was named after.

But this isn't a year ago.

Rory is broken, and now suffering from a debilitating anxiety disorder, wrought with precarious triggers, she moves across the country to escape the source of her troubles. Her plan is anonymity, but that's easier said than achieved for the new girl having a panic episode outside of calculus. The worst part? There's a witness - and a gorgeous one at that.

Sam is a walking trigger for Rory. Incredibly handsome, built like the star athlete he obviously is, and undoubtedly popular, Sam outwardly represents everything Rory despises about high school. But as the fates keep throwing them together, a connection sparks that neither ever expected, and certainly couldn't ignore.

But Sam has issues too, and Rory's past won't just stay in the damned past. When friendship evolves into something deeper, can a girl utterly destroyed by the worst kind of betrayal and a boy battling demons of his own ever have a normal relationship? Is that even what they want? Find out in NORMAL, a gritty story of trust and abuse, heartbreak and salvation, and if they're lucky - love. This is not a flowery romance - not for the faint of heart.

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Abuse, High School, Contemporary, Young Adult, Contemporary Romance

445 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 11, 2014

About the author

Danielle Pearl is the Amazon and iBooks best selling author of the Something More series. She lives in New Jersey with her three delicious children and ever-supportive husband, who--luckily--doesn't mind sharing her with an array of fictional men. She did a brief stint at Boston University and worked in marketing before publishing her debut novel, Normal. She writes mature Young Adult and New Adult Contemporary Romance. Danielle enjoys coffee, wine, and cupcakes, and not in moderation.

Danielle is represented by Erica Silverman @ Trident Media Group

Learn more at Daniellepearl.com

Like her Facebook page for updates -- Facebook.com/daniellepearlauthor

Follow her on twitter.com/danipearlauthor and Instagram.com/daniellepearlauthor

Reviews

[Kelli C · Rating 4 out of 5]

NO NO NO....I don't want a cliffhanger! Come on...why do I freaking do this to myself!

So, I was obviously not prepared to have my heart ripped out, but I have to say for a book with young characters set in high school, I was quite taken with this.

Aurora Pike is your everyday average Florida girl. She is part of a small town and fits into the "up/in" crowd well, with the exception that she is truly good and innocent. An opportunity to be on the arm of the towns rising sports star seems like a dream. Everyone would love to be in Aurora's shoes. He father proud. The town aglow. A future determined, until it isn't. This happiness is not right...Love isn't supposed to hurt right?



Trauma, harassment, a life broken, has her hundreds of miles north trying to just blend in to a busy world. As the new girl in school she is mysterious, but she is also shrouded in anxiety, living on the edge of breakdown...Then she sees him...



Sam "Cap" Caplan is a true beauty. He is good inside and out. With a calming voice, a pleasant smile, and gentle eyes he takes her in...



"I got you Pike."

And has her he does...every step of every day. So begins a push pull relationship of true friendship and healing. With Sam by her side, Rory begins to lose the haze of panic. For the first time she is living. Taking Sam's hand in "friendship" has opened her heart and allowed feelings and emotions back inside.



But you can only run so far from your past. What little time Rory had a "normal" comes to a crashing halt. Old demons resurface and Rory refuses to let them taint anything or anyone good in her life....So...



I now sit heartbroken...teary-eyed...and unbelievably bothered by a HS love story!

[Dora Koutsoukou · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 💔🖤💔💔⚓️⚡️⚡️⚓️🌟🌟🌟🌟s❣️❣️❣️❣️

“I'll be there for you, these five words I swear to you
When you breathe, I want to be the air for you
I'll be there for you
I'd live and I'd die for you
I'd steal the sun from the sky for you
Words can't say what love can do
I'll be there for you.” Bon Jovi


“I’ll be There for You” by Bon Jovi has completely matched my thoughts and feelings for the first part of this story I have just read which managed to touch and break my heart.

Note: This book is not for everyone. It is tough, heavy, hard and has enough triggers (sexual and psychological/emotional abuse, anxiety, anger issues).

[Natalie ~ The Biblioholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, this author is extremely talented. My goodness!! I was immediately absorbed in this story and COULD NOT put it down for the life of me. The writing, the pacing, the character development, the plot, the meat, all of it was just sooooooo amazing!!

This was a very hard read for me because... trigger! But I was still able to enjoy it while cringing (a lot). I was instantly sympathetic with Rory and eagerly awaited her champion. And her saviour came in such a delightful package. Sam looked like what she knew (arrogant, gorgeous, intelligent), but he was so much more. This boy was such a man! I loved loved loved Sam. He had so much in common with Cam (which was bittersweet for sure) and I wonder if the author rhymed their names intentionally.

I docked a star simply because Rory, at times, too many times, lacked logic. There were instances where I wondered if she had no access to electronics, but then remembered that she had a cell and there was mention of her deleting all of her social media accounts, so that would mean that yes, she did have access to electronics. So how, in this day and age, did she allow herself to make the kinds of choices she did??? Especially whenever she turned on Sam. OMG I just wanted to throttle her ass!

So anyhoo... great story and I can't wait to see what is planned for Robin's comeuppance.

XO

[Coco.V]

💝 FREE on Amazon today (1/2/2018)! 💝

Blurb:
It's the kind of situation most people would dread. Starting at a new high school, in the middle of my senior year, in a new town, in a new state. I know no one. No one knows me. That's what I'm counting on.

A year ago, Aurora "Rory" Pine was just a normal teenage girl - just as sweet and naive as the fairy tale princess she was named after.

But this isn't a year ago.

Rory is broken, and now suffering from a debilitating anxiety disorder, wrought with precarious triggers, she moves across the country to escape the source of her troubles. Her plan is anonymity, but that's easier said than achieved for the new girl having a panic episode outside of calculus. The worst part? There's a witness - and a gorgeous one at that.

Sam is a walking trigger for Rory. Incredibly handsome, built like the star athlete he obviously is, and undoubtedly popular, Sam outwardly represents everything Rory despises about high school. But as the fates keep throwing them together, a connection sparks that neither ever expected, and certainly couldn't ignore.

But Sam has issues too, and Rory's past won't just stay in the damned past. When friendship evolves into something deeper, can a girl utterly destroyed by the worst kind of betrayal and a boy battling demons of his own ever have a normal relationship? Is that even what they want? Find out in NORMAL, a gritty story of trust and abuse, heartbreak and salvation, and if they're lucky - love. This is not a flowery romance - not for the faint of heart.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aurora Pine was named after Sleeping Beauty, but soon that nickname of Sleeping Beauty would become a word that would haunt her forever. Aurora was a popular girl and a cheerleader, she had pep and spirit and was stunning. She even caught the eye of one of the hottest guys, and her father approved as he was the son of the Mayor. Things though weren't as happy behind closed doors as this Prince Charming was abusive and harmed Aurora in more ways than one. When she decides to tell someone about it, she is painted not as a victim but a liar, the girl who cried wolf. Her mother believed her, and the pair of them moved away to start fresh. All Aurora now known as Rory wants is to go back to feeling Normal or at least pretending to be. At her new school, she attracts the attention of Sam. He wants to be more than friends, but she isn't ready. Soon Rory will discover he's not like the other guys and that he might be the best thing for her yet. What will happen though when Spring Break comes, and Rory is left to face her demon? Can Sam save her from harm or will this be a repeat incident of the past? Find out in Normal by Danielle Pearl. An edgy YA novel that has a focus on abusive relationships, rape and how to move past it

[Big Joe Rossi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Well written, well develoed characters, a present to past reveal.

Aurora "Rory" Pine has moved to Long Island NY forced to flee her small town Florida town. Why? We don't know yet. She is battling a multitude of issues...panic attack, nightmares, anxiety, fear. On her 1st day of her senior year in a new school one of those panic attacks start, worse it is witnessed by someone. Sam Caplan, the big man on campus at the high school. He is hiding his own dark issues but nothing like what he sees in her.

Slowly. Miraculously. These two form a friendship but it one step forward, two steps back. Sam is willing to take it slow and do what she needs. He knows she has been hurt, he sees in her, his sister, who dealt with her own issues. Soon, he is breaking every trigger she has, well most anyway and they become best friends. Then.....more.

Just as things are going great...the past will resurface and risk everything and I mean everything!

I loved this book. Yes it is a done trope but this is down in a realistic way with set backs and achievements. I real look at a real issue.

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This. Book. Ughhh. I loved it, but I hated it. The underlying story was phenomenal. I was hooked, addicted from page one. But Rory was SOOO annoying. I'm sure many disagree with me. I can't begin to fathom what Rory has been through. Her fears, anxieties, etc. are very justifiable. Many, who go through the trauma she has, suffer from depression and anxiety. BUT her self-loathing attitude really got to me. I wanted desperately for her to see herself as a survivor. Not a victim.

I ADORE Sam. He's perfect in every way. He understands abuse and betrayal. And he treats Rory perfectly, with patience, love, friendship, and support.

Here's where things went wrong for me... The {terrible} overkill on the southern accent. I'm from the south and yes, I have an accent, but the overuse of the word "ain't" was painful to read. And this book was so long. Too long. And IT'S NOT OVER!!! It ended with a freaking cliffhanger. For my sanity's sake, I needed everything to be resolved.

3.5 - 4 stars.

[Suzana Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a hard book to rate. Parts of it were riveting and definitely five star, but it was so crammed full of tragedy that it was almost melodrama. It stretched believability that so many tragic things happened to one person, and it made it seem like it was more than one book. The ending is what significantly lowered my rating though. All the drama was already becoming tedious, and it should have been resolved in this book. I have no interest in seeing it unfold in another book.

I actually do wish for another book, just not that one. I would like one that's an alternate version of events in which Cam is her love interest and Robin is not a psycho. That would be a great friends to lovers story. As much as I like Sam, I was completely rooting for Cam and Rory despite knowing that something terrible happened to prevent them from being together. Their connection was so memorable and special, and it's the only part of this book I'll reread.

[Lo Bookfrantic]

FREE for limited time 5/23/17-5/29/17

Link: http://a.co/3XC5ZCw

[Sam]

DNF @ 40%

Unfortunately this one just didn't work out for me. I didn't hate the book or anything, I actually liked it quite a lot at times, but there's not enough happening for the book to be as long as it is, so there's a lot of repeating the same sentiments and honestly, I've grown really bored with the flashbacks. Flashback Rory is the worst.

A disconnect with Rory is one of the reasons I'm calling it. The story is told from her perspective, but she doesn't have much of a voice, and frankly, I don't like her. She's just not my type of heroine.

I actually really love Sam. Sam's a total sweetheart with the patience of a saint.

Chelsea was ridiculous and her character's actions do not make any logical sense. She's just a stereotypical "mean girl" and the conflict she stirs up feels contrived. Both of the guys in Rory's past are incredibly sexist, like, a lot, and it just got to be too much. I was getting too frustrated to enjoy the story.

You may have better luck with it, it just ticked some of the boxes on my peeve list and I wasn't even halfway through, so I decided not to continue.

Warning for rape triggers. I personally thought it was pretty obvious from the blurb + sample that there would be rape involved, but some people might miss that.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man, this was quite intense. The flashbacks were almost too painful to read, to be honest. My heart totally broke for Cam. ;-(

[Caroline Floyd · Rating 2 out of 5]

"I know from experience that some wounds, they're permanent- that even if they heal, they scar so profoundly that you are never, ever okay again."

Rating: 2.5(or 3)/5 Stars

Songs for Normal by Danielle Pearl:
1. The Score- Something New
2. Billie Eilish- Ocean Eyes (Blackbear remix or original)
3. James Young & Phoebe Ryan- We Won't
4. Tom Rosenthal- It's OK
5. Amber Run- I Found (<--Such a beautiful song)
6. Sia- Angel By the Wings
7. The Night We Met- Lord Huron
8. Secrets- One Republic
9. Gabriella- The Scientist
10. Ruelle- The Other Side

Synopsis: "It's the kind of situation most people would dread. Starting at a new high school, in the middle of my senior year, in a new town, in a new state. I know no one. No one knows me. That's what I'm counting on.

A year ago, Aurora "Rory" Pine was just a normal teenage girl - just as sweet and naive as the fairy tale princess she was named after.

But this isn't a year ago.

Rory is broken, and now suffering from a debilitating anxiety disorder, wrought with precarious triggers, she moves across the country to escape the source of her troubles. Her plan is anonymity, but that's easier said than achieved for the new girl having a panic episode outside of calculus. The worst part? There's a witness - and a gorgeous one at that.

Sam is a walking trigger for Rory. Incredibly handsome, built like the star athlete he obviously is, and undoubtedly popular, Sam outwardly represents everything Rory despises about high school. But as the fates keep throwing them together, a connection sparks that neither ever expected, and certainly couldn't ignore.

But Sam has issues too, and Rory's past won't just stay in the damned past. When friendship evolves into something deeper, can a girl utterly destroyed by the worst kind of betrayal and a boy battling demons of his own ever have a normal relationship? Is that even what they want? Find out in NORMAL, a gritty story of trust and abuse, heartbreak and salvation, and if they're lucky - love. This is not a flowery romance - not for the faint of heart."

Review (Spoiler-Free but I will talk about certain events, but I'll be sure to just barely scratch the surface so as not to ruin anyone's experience):

This was one of the most difficult books that I've ever tried to rate. It started out as a potentially five to four-star book for me, but just went downhill from there. At the end I was debating between 2 or 3 stars for this book. I initially gave it 2 stars and then left it at that, but a couple days later went back and upped it to 3. Why? Because this book is in no means a bad book. It just really was not for me. And to be honest after looking at all the glowing four and five stars review for this book, i felt bad. I wondered what'd I'd missed that made this book such a hit for everyone, but such a miss for me. I eventually came to the conclusion that this just wasn't for me, after all I typically seem to enjoy the books that end up with 3 star (or lower) average ratings as opposed to 4 star averaging books. People are different and what works for everyone else might not work for me and vice versa. Anyway, I'll try to go into more specific reasons of what made this book a miss for me.

Characters:
First off I'm gonna start with our characters, which is probably the easiest thing I can start with for this book.

Our main character's name is Rory and she has recently had to move schools to get away from drama in her old town. You aren't really told what exactly she is trying to escape so I won't spoil it (I'm not sure if it was supposed to be known from the start or what but I guessed what she was dealing with pretty quick). Rory suffers from panic attacks and at any moment a single thing could trigger them.

I found Rory a bit hard to like at first. She was an average YA 'plain jane' female lead. (And yes, I know this book might not technically be YA, but it takes place in high school and she is a teen so I'm filing her in the YA teen female protagonist category). She wasn't the most extraordinary character and she wasn't particularly interesting to me, she was just 'meh'. Rory also embodied one of the teen female lead stereotypes/tropes that I hate with a passion and am tired of seeing, which is: She constantly thinks 'I'm just average, I'm not special. How could anyone find me special?' and 'Why would he want me, when he could have anyone else, I'm damaged!' So let me just start by saying, I love both confident and shy characters. I have no issue with a character who thinks they are average or not beautiful because for god's sakes, they are teenagers, all/most teens have low self esteem. I, myself think I'm average, I know I'm not beautiful but it's not the only thing I ever think about. And I feel like in this book the author tried too hard to try and make us believe that Rory was average and tried to make her look humble and sweet but in reality it was just incredibly annoying. Like I find it so hard to believe a character is just average and plain when they basically say they every. single. page. It is then made worse by literally every character pointing out just how hot she is, how she has the perfect body, how literally everyone is jealous of her, and how any guy would be lucky to have girl like her. I also mentioned earlier that Rory considers herself 'damaged' and that no one could love her again because she is damaged (and while she does have good reasons for believing this (and no I'm not trying to say she is damaged)) it's still incredibly annoying.

Rory in my opinion also grew very little as a character. Not every character in a story has to go through these dynamic changes, but Rory has these very dangerous mentalities that she never really gets over. It's not that I'm expecting her to get over her past, I'm not, her past was tragic and there isn't really a way to entirely move on from what she's been through. But she has this concept of 'asking for it'. And what I mean by that is that she was once told that by wearing 'scandalous' clothing, she was basically asking for what she got. It seemed like she was trying to understand that it wasn't her fault and that there was no 'asking for it' but she kept believing it was true, which I think is not really a good thing to have in this book. At least show how your character knows how nothing that happened was her fault. Rory knows it wasn't her fault but also doesn't at the same time. What she went through was scarring an something someone should never have to go through, but she never showed change in parts where I felt like she should have. I know all that might have sounded confusing but it's because I don't really know how to handle or criticize this subject and how it was handled. I've never been in a situation like Rory's, for all I know the author has and wrote from personal experience. I can't talk about what I would have acted like or what I would have done, because I've never been in this situation or state of mind. I just feel like some things weren't handled as well as they could have been.

For our next character we have Sam. What is there to say about Sam? I liked him more than Rory but that's not saying much. Both he and Rory are generic to me, I won't remember either a few weeks from now, or a few days from now. That's not to say they were bad or poorly written, they just have nothing memorable about them, Sam in particular. When I'm reading it usually takes me the longest to like female characters but the male characters, I typically like right away (if they're written well). I just sometimes find them more likable and they will usually have lots of depth to them, whether they're the main character or just the love interest. With my favorite male characters that I've read about in the past, I can remember little quirks they had, or lines they said, or I can picture them in my head. With Sam, there's just nothing. Even now, a few days after reading the book, I can't remember hardly anything about him. He falls into this awful stereotypical male love interest category. He has a sad backstory, which isn't really delved into as much as it could be, and he's hopelessly attractive. Except, he's not ever really described well and I only pictured him as a generic male model looking guy that every. single. YA book ever has. At times it felt like I was only supposed to like him because he was attractive because the only other qualities he had were just as generic like he was nice...he helped our protagonist through issues (Kudos to him though with what he dealt with)...and he had a smirk that every single love interest seems to have...and..he was nice.? Another thing that I'm noticing a lot lately in Contemporary is that anger issues are seen as attractive and as 'oh my god he cares about me so much!' NO. Anger issues should not be seen in a positive light. i have no issues with a protective male character. It's quite charming in a way when a guy cares about his girl and protects her, when it is necessary. Sam even scares Rory sometimes with just how angry he gets. He punched a hole in a wall (twice, I believe) and broke a bunch of glass. This is not normal, this is not how normal people take out their anger. But these events are just brushed off. Which is wrong. I'm tired of books brushing off a male or female's anger issues, especially when they get consistently angry at small things. Sam nearly beats his friend because he made a light-hearted joke about Rory. Was the joke good? No, but surely not worth getting punched in the jaw in front of ALL your friends for. Anger issues are often treated as a sign of caring for a person, and sure can it mean that they care about you? Yes, but is it healthy too nearly beat up anyone who so much as looks at your girlfriend because you want her all to yourself? No, it isn't healthy. My issue with him was that I've read about so many other love interests like him. He wasn't unique enough and didn't have his own personality, or at least it didn't shine through in his lines. I pictured him as the generic attractive nice guy that helps our protagonist grow and find her own strength, which is plot I'm tired of reading in contemporary.

Now onto Sam and Rory's relationship. I don't buy it. I just don't. It felt a lot like what I mentioned before in that I was supposed to like them together because they were both attractive people, they'd both seen hard times, and they were cute. I didn't feel that they had a deep connection, and for a relationship that is supposed to be more, supposed to be about a boy who genuinely loves a girl and two people who find strength in one another, they sure spent a lot of time talking about looks. We're constantly reminded that 'Hey, Sam's hot'. It eventually got to the point where I just wanted to scream 'I get it, He's hot and has pretty blue eyes! Show me real connection!' One thing I like to do when thinking about the male protagonists/love interests of stories is I think 'What if they weren't attractive? how would this story be different?' because way to often I see stories relying on the fact that a character is hot to make everything they do or say after seem that much more attractive or affectionate. I feel like that's what happened with this story. Rory is supposed to be a sensitive and nervous person, someone scarred by events of her past, but she sure had NO PROBLEM with Sam! You know she just has this connection with Sam right? For some reason she isn't afraid of him! She just feels safe and feels like he won't harm her! Doesn't it sound right that a person terrified of the opposite sex, a person who is scarred, and has regular panic attacks that can be easily triggered, would just feel safe and just know that Sam would never hurt her. This is right, right? No, I call BS on this. The author tries to make us think she is a scarred and scared girl, but she has no issues with Sam because he has a sad past like her and seemed somewhat concerned when she had a panic attack in the hallway (which I hope anyone would be concerned if they saw someone having a panic attack.) Because of the two things, she knows he won't hurt her. For someone so protective of herself she sure had no problem accepting Sam quickly. It probably doesn't help that he's on another level of attractive (supposedly) and deep ocean blue eyes. Their relationship just never felt genuine or real to me, it was very surface-level romance, if that makes any sense.

There are some side characters that are honestly just an honorable mention because they're not present for a good bit of the book. This book focuses on Sam and Rory's relationship and developing it, which wouldn't have been an issue if I actually liked their relationship but I didn't. Rory has a friend named Carleigh who goes by Carl, which I thought was also kind of dumb and an attempt to make her interesting but eh oh well. Rory doesn't spend much time with her, which was a shame because I liked her more. For that matter I liked Carleigh and Tuck's relationship more than the main one of this story. Rory even goes so far as to say that Carleigh isn't as close to her as Sam is because she'll never understand. Carleigh hasn't been through something like she and sam have so they will never be as close. She sometimes act as if its Carleigh's fault that they aren't close because she just doesn't understand, so how about this Rory? How about you explain to her, SOMETHING about your past and not leave her completely in the dark, and you could be close. This just felt like a cop-out reason to give Rory and Sam more time together. There's also this girl who is your typical mean girl. She's the blonde, fake, popular bimbo who is beneath our main character. This character exists only to create unnecessary and ridiculous drama with Rory. Her existence in the book made me angry because she's stereotypical, like everything else. She exists to 1) Give you another reason to like/be on Rory's side 2) Be the one who wants Sam and will do anything to get him, but ya know our pal Sam just doesn't like her, he instead only wants our main gal Rory. She is the typical mean girl that all these contemporary stories feel the need to have. I know lots of people hate characters like this because they want to promote female empowerment! They think all females should be kind to one another and inspire one another, rather than tear each other down. This is a nice though, and what I think people should do in general, but that's just not how it is. Girls are rude to one another, heck you go out into public and you'll notice girls sizing one another up, checking out the competition if you will. So I think characters like the afore-mentioned one are true to life, and aren't completely ridiculous, they're just unnecessary. And if there's one thing I hate, it's when books waste my time with unnecessary and unimportant characters or plot events.

There are other characters but like I mentioned, they're just honorable mentions or after thoughts. they aren't expanded on or developed, they just exist to be the main characters' best friends. There is also a mother in this book, but you wouldn't really know if it weren't told to you and if she weren't in one scene. I understand why books often take out families, it gives the character and excuse to explore. But my issue with the mom in this book is that we are told she is a pillar of strength for Rory, and that she is important, but she's never there. She is, like almost every other character, an after-thought.

I would also like to lastly touch on how men are portrayed in this book. Every male, save for Sam, is a sex-hungry person constantly making inappropriate remarks to Rory. They're portrayed in a bad light, like not all men are evil jeez. Not all men see a pretty girl and have their brains instantly turned to mush and resort to cheesy or rude remarks to hit on women. I remember a conversation that Sam had with these drunk guys in an elevator where they look at Rory because she's attractive, and Sam tells them to look elsewhere basically (just a bit more colorful) and they respond with something along the lines of "Well get a less f***ing hot girlfriend bro." Who (in their right mind) talks like this? I get they were supposedly drunk but it was just stupid. And every male is attracted to Rory in this book. Everyone constantly making innuendos and 'clever' remarks to her. It gets old, it really does.

*There are two more very important characters that I could've talked about but I would've had to spoil some things in order to fully go into how I felt about them.*

Plot:

The story is split into two parts; the before and the present day

I would say that having the before part of the story, largely increased the entertainment value of this story for me. It was dark and I found the characters to have more depth and a genuinely better story. In a way, the before parts kind of spoiled me. It showed me the story I actually wanted and would've enjoyed more had it been made into a full book rather than just part of a book. Obviously, this would've been a very different story had it just been the before but I feel like it could've been so much better than what I got. The relationships in the before were deeper and felt more real, even the one that went terribly wrong. There are two main characters in the before, Robin and Cam. Robin is a terrible person, but not a terrible character. He had story and depth and was just plain evil and manipulative, but he had something. And I'm not trying to say I like Robin, no he was an absolute dick, but he had something there to create and interesting story! And then we have Cam, I'm just gonna say I love Cam and wished he was in the story more. He was a better, more likable, love-interest than Sam. He and Rory had chemistry and would've had an actually believable love story, in my opinion. The story I want is one where nothing in the before changes except that it's a full length book and there is no Sam or Rory moving to New York. Instead the love story is between Cam and Rory and they slowly realize that they're falling in love, a classic friends becoming more story!

The plot pacing was alright, the present day sections were a bit slow at times, especially because I didn't care about the present day story or characters. I enjoyed the before parts of the story the most and found myself rushing through present day to get back to the before story. I rated this book higher than two stars specifically because I enjoyed the before chapters and some of the present day chapters. The plot for present day is just her getting to know Sam and trying to move on, along with half of it taking place in Miami on vacation with her new-found friends. Which is another thing I don't get. Why would Rory's mom let her go back to the same state they just moved AWAY from, especially considering her past? I would be a bit more protective if I was Rory's mom is all I'm trying to say.

Final Thoughts:

This book, while not my favorite, wasn't bad, it just happened to house a lot of trends that I dislike. It isn't poorly written exactly, and it isn't a bad plot either. This book was just not my cup of tea but I definitely see why others would like it. This author is not bad at all, she actually created a good book in my opinion, but it's a good book for someone who isn't me. I actually do plan to continue and maybe read the next book, but as it stands I have 65 books on my TBR, so I won't be continuing anytime soon. At the very least I want to read the spin-offs of Carleigh and Tuck, and Bits' story.

[Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping.
Captivating.
Emotionally shattering.
Overwhelming.
Un-put-downable.

the story of "perception", "acceptance", "pain", "abuse" and coping with inner shattered-self after the mentioned happend, finding a way towards the light and putting all the broken pieces back together with every single step, the story of trust and healing, the story that will undeniably grip your heart and hold it tight....

while you enter a world of Aurora/Rory Pine, a small Florida state town girl, that learned the hard way how misleading the kindness can be, and the flirtations can lead into the cruel, misinterepreted action that can break your every perception of what "love" actually is, of what "feelings" are really about, and that the loss of innocence is not smth you are supposed to offer just because "it's time" but still unwilling and unwanted by the person that is suppose to "give" it lovingly to another, for him to cherish it and not "take" it, under the disguise of the words like "I know what's right for you", "you asked for it", or "you like it rough, baby"

And no, that's not normal behavior, but Rory didn't have the experience to compare it to, and even though her inner gut told her/screamed at her that this cannot be "right", it's not supposed to feel this way, it's not supposed to hurt, and that's not fuckin love...

it's to late to change the course of events until she can't take it any more...but then she's faced with the ugly face of betrayal from the people she thought would protect her, they ought to protect her...but then Money and connections and social status means a whole lot more in twisting the truth, and presenting the other perception of it!

Leaving her with only one parent believing her, trusting her, supporting her as they both, mother and daughter leave the past behind in attempt to heal and start over.

I'm not normal. And I've already accepted that I never will be again.

BUT new town, new surroundings, new people offer a new chance, and even though she can't hide her demons completely one person will show Rory that she's perfect just the way she is, scarred and all, cause there's any one out there without them, whether they are on the inside or the outside...

Sam Caplan will be the man, who will show her how very "normal" she is, whose heart will be big enough, open enough, patient enough to show her that she can be "normal" again, that her life is just beginning and that he is not him, he will never be him - the monster that hurt her, but he will be the one to steer the demons away...for no matter how long it takes...

Until the past finds Rory again...and Sam gets in a bind by protecting her...
What can she do?
The only thing she can do to fix it, to keep Sam safe from the clutches of her past and the people that came to hurt her again...she can set him free...she can protect him if she stays away...

Remarkably written with interchanging insights from the past perfectly interlinked with following present events...full of charged emotions, angst and overwhelming notion of dread and anxiety that the heroine in consumed with while she's trying to heal and cope with the hurt and painful abuse she went through, both emotionally and physically. And then the hero, Sam, dear God, he's equally scarred but the way he treats her, is something that reminds me of another wonderful character that I have never forgotten about . Those of you who have read Wait for you by J. Lynn, know bloody damn what I'm talking about.



Highly recommended.

[RentasticReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam and Rory will destroy you, console you and make you fall in love right along with them.

This book just rattled my world and shook me up like there's no tomorrow. Normal is an emotion-filled read that will break you and knock you sideways feeling heart crumbling pain, loss, dread, even anger, yet at the same time still have that hope, love, compassion and glee at the end of the tunnel too. Danielle Pearl really has managed to wiggle her way to being one of my favorite authors. Her characters are so immensely relatable and the way she writes can really get you into the moment. She'll drag you into each and every scene you're reading, it's crazy impressive. She'll hook you from the very first page and you won't be able to come up for air until you realize there are no pages left to read. This book is long—crazy long—but you won't even notice that from how unputdownable it is.

Sam "Cap" Caplan and Aurora "Rory" Pine's story rocked me to the core. I had goosebumps and all the feels seeped through every crevice in my heart. Sam melted me with everything he did for Rory. Every moment he was there for her, protecting her and defending her from everybody who tries to even spew a negative thing towards her. He didn't only make me swoon, he snatched and owned my heart right from the get go. I'd sell my soul to the devil to get me a guy like Sam Caplan. Seriously. That's how riveting and addicting he is. Exactly what and who Rory needs too.

I cannot for the life of me imagine the pain and trauma that Rory went through and had to live with. It extremely maddens me. I still seethe and feel that burn in my heart, just remembering the name Robin. That boy deserves to rot in hell. I can't believe how people can easily turn their backs on you and choose the side with the more powerful, lying and unreliable bastards. And worse, how easy it is to drop you like you're yesterday's trash. It's unfair, the life Rory was dealt with when she still lived in Florida. But I think she was destined to move to New York and meet Sam and be reunited with her friend, Carl. It's like that's where her life really should be, ya know? I hated witnessing her struggle, the way she had to face every single day to cope and survive. I'm just glad and utterly relieved that she met Sam. If there's a guy who deserves to be with her, who understands the place where she's in now, out of everybody in the world? It's none other than Sam Caplan.

I couldn't even begin to describe how much emotion this book managed to bring out and drown me in. And violently at that too. They weren't just tingles that go away after that scene passed. No, they were full-blown emotions that linger until you reach that very last page. So guess what, you'll be a whirlwind full of raging feels after reading this. It's so good, so eye opening and gut wrenching that it has to be one of my top reads this year.

[Merrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's important to know that THIS BOOK CONTAINS VIOLENCE. If this sort of thing is an issue for you, please know that going in. Also, there is a pretty major cliffhanger, consider that when considering this read. Now, here we go.

I am sad to think that I may have never discovered this book, if it didn't come across my Facebook feed. Well, that's a little over dramatic, I would have eventually came across it, but who know when?

This book is told through the POV of Aurora ("Rory"). The story begins with Rory's move to New York with her mother after her mother and father divorce. It focuses on her need to "blend in" and not be seen. That's easier said than done, once she has a panic attack outside of her calculus class and it is witnessed by no other than Sam (not only extremely attractive, but very popular as well). She catches his attention, he catches hers, and eventually a friendship forms.

The story flashes back to her "old" life in Florida, the one she has escaped. It is then that her past is slowly unfolded. From her life long friendship with Cam, to her dating the star quarterback. It touches on her lack of relationship with her father to building new friendships with girls (she has lived her life as a tomboy and mostly developed friendships with boys, namely, Cam). The flashbacks occur throughout the book, so it takes a while to piece the puzzle that is her past trauma together. Although, it shouldn't take you as long to figure it out as it takes for the book to unfold it.

You get to witness Rory grow a lot through her friendship with Sam. He helps her work through her triggers and he begins to be someone she can lean on. As the reader, it is quite obvious that Rory and Sam are attracted to one another, but for Rory and her past, it is very difficult for her to believe that someone would want her, even the broken parts.

The flashbacks in this book are heartbreaking. It is very sad having to "witness" the events that take place with Rory, and read how helpless she truly is. She continues to see herself as someone who is broken and f*cked up, but as the reader, you can only see her as a true survivor.

It's hard to review this book and not give too much away, but I will say this. This read truly captivated me from start to finish. The story moved at the right pace to allow the events to unfold as necessary. As I said earlier, this book contains a cliffhanger, but the story of Rory and Sam will continue in Okay. If you have the chance, I highly recommend this book. I cannot wait for their story to continue, and I hope that it contains some chapters with Sam's POV.

[lia · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

RTC after I finish book 2! But needless to say, I surprisingly loved it and now rushing to get into the second one cause of that cliffhanger, so, later!

>>Full review<<

I started buddy reading with a friend every other month and the last time I got to choose the book so this month, it was her choice. Apparently she’s been wanting to read this series ever since it came out years ago (she’s had the first 2 books for years) and at first, I was a little unsure about it since 1) it’s YA and I don’t particularly read YA books unless a particular one really catches my interest and 2) the author is new and unfamiliar to me and it’s also the first time I’m hearing about this book/series. But since she immediately agreed and soldiered on with my mafia book a month ago, a trope she doesn’t really read nor particularly look into, so I figured it’s just fair to return the favor with the same enthusiasm lol. And I’m so glad I did! This is why I love having book friends — some of the best books are ones you would’ve never read if it weren’t for their recommendations. Needless to say, I was super into this book!

As I’ve mentioned, I don’t particularly invest my reading time with YA books and one of the reasons is because the characters most of the time come across as stupid and immature. Yea, #sorrynotsorry. And though there were times (more than a few at that) I wanted to shake (and maybe even whack) some sense into Rory, our dear h, I can honestly emphasize with her and everything she went through. Well, mostly. I still did want to whack her sometimes lol especially during the flashbacks. And this book flitted between both her past (a year ago) and her present. Yeah, if there was one thing that frustrated me a lot in this book, it would be the flashback chapters because she just made the. Dumbest. Choices at times. And not just then, even during the present she could be pretty daft. 😬 But like I said, them being in HS, young and stupid… it can’t be helped. I mean we’re all young and stupid once #lesbehonest so I have decided to cut her some slack. 🤷🏻‍♀️

But anyway, aside from Rory’s moments of stupidity and lack of self-preservation at times, I really reeeally liked the hell out of this book and hopefully the entire series because my friend and I have decided to continue the series together. And for the most part, I did like Rory. I learned to understand her inner struggles and quirks along the way and she grew on me. Although there’s definitely more room to grow for her, at least she’s on the right direction.

Okay so now let’s move on my ultimate favorite part of this book duet: Sam freakin’ Caplan (aka Cap to the public). Omigod this man! This hunk of a man. This very loyal ♥️, oh so committed 🥺, hella protective 🥰, over-possessive 🥵 (but not in an assholey way), super hot 🤤, gorgeous gorgeous 😍 hunk of a man. I’m in love with him. And I will continue to love him until the end of time. He made these books. He’s as alpha as one can be when it comes to his woman, but underneath all that alpha-ness is such a caring, hella understanding, honest, trustworthy, so very loving, yummy (yes, I snuck that in here cause damn Sam🔥) man. My weakness. And okay yes, he was a total manwhore (keyword: was — until he met Rory of course), but I mean… I guess he had to have a flaw? Or else NO ONE would have stood a chance. And so I decided to let the manwhore H slide this time, sue me. 🤷🏻‍♀️ And besides, once he fell for Rory, he was All. Damn. In. And it was glorious to witness him be a man in love. Le sigh.

Okay I’m gonna stop now cause if I don’t, I might end up writing a whole novella on how much I love and adore Sam. I’ll just let you experience him on your own so yes, go read this duet if only for him. Although beware: there are some serious triggers here, so if you’re one who is easily triggered, I suggest first checking out the TWs (they’ll be on my safety gang below). Also, this definitely isn’t all rainbows and sunshine and giddiness and hotness, it’ll bring out them feels~ too. But no matter, if you’re looking for some riveting read, this is it.


Safety Gang:
-TW: sexual abuse, rape, physical abuse, verbal abuse (all on page), suicide (side character, off page), drug use (h is on anti-anxiety pills but they’re prescribed), explicit sex, bullying, traumatic past (both MCs), neglect by parent (H’s dad physically abuse his mom and him, h’s dad didn’t believe her about the rape and even blamed her and took the ex bf’s side that asshole), PTSD (h has nightmares), some violence, death (on page, h’s best friend died in a car accident), depression
-Safe sex: no condoms; h on birth control and clean from her rape, H never had sex without a condom before h
-H age 18, h age 18
-No virgins; H was a manwhore (he had a “no girlfriends in high school” rule and would only hook up a lot prior to meeting the h), h was raped by her ex bf for months who also took her virginity (he was the only one she ever had sex with prior to the H, but always against her will)
-No cheating
-There were graphic sex rape scenes of the h with her ex bf as well as a make out scene with her best friend Cam in the flashback chapters, but no sex/intimate scenes with other people in the present chapters
-OM drama: H was sort of jealous about the h’s past relationship with her best friend Cam even though he’s passed away (only because the h was in love with him before he died), and the h’s psycho sadistic ex bf wouldn’t let her go and even attacks her
-OW drama: H had a childhood friend (Chelsea) who wanted him and tried to do things that would ruin the H and h’s relationship, but the H always took the h’s side. Also, the H had a regular hookup who graduated but came to a party wherein the h meets her. Though the h gets jealous and all, the hookup (Kendall) is actually a nice girl and became a good friend of the H and she was even rooting for the H and h to get together so no drama there
-Cliffhanger ending; story will continue and end in book 2

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+++++ stars

[Jasmine · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF.... This book was okay at first but I just kept getting more and more annoyed with the characters as I got farther in. I got about half way through before I stopped. I then decided to give it another try only to stop reading all together a few pages later. I honestly feel bad for what Rory had to go through how the people in her life, in FL, had treated her but honestly I think she needed to take a step back and realize that everyone is fucked up in their own way not just her. Rory was also annoyingly modest. She was also probably the dumbest character out of any character in any book I've ever read. I feel bad for her now because I feel like no one taught her anything about feminism, or taught any of the men in her life (Robin, her dad) about feminism either, and mostly no one ever taught her how a human being should be treated in a relationship with another human being. She was raped repeatedly, I couldn't even imagine what she went through/is going through the entire book, or any victim of rape for that matter. I just feel like she felt bad for herself so much but maybe that is because no one back home felt bad for her enough. I felt like she was a weak character and I felt like Sam was way too perfect. Also some of the names of the other characters really got on my nerves I don't know why but "carliegh" is "carl" and I was like what? why not carls? idk that just got on my nerves for some reason. I think I am just mad at the book because the education system failed to have a health class in this case or Rory's parents failed to give her the sex talk or any kind of relationship talk and most importantly Robin's parents failed to teach him to not take advantage of someone and I'm mad that any man thinks he can take advantage of woman in any instance just because "their in a relationship","she was asking for it","look at what she is wearing"...NOOO!! If your girlfriend, boyfriend, friend, person you just met decides, after saying yes, to say no it means NO, it means stop. And in general if someone your about to have sex with or you think you are says no right away just stop. Women, men alike, should not have to worry about what they're wearing, if they're going to attract attention because of it...Men should just not rape. PERIOD. Women should not be taught how to avoid rape Men should be taught not to fucking rape. and of course vise versa. Not to mention her dad is a total dick and every guy from her past and even present is super sexist, except Sam, of course. Anyway, this book is just annoying af.

[Marley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Idk

I had to force myself to read through the last half of the book. Honest I loved cam way more than Sam. The past parts were great but the present parts got annoying. Rory was just self absorbed. Yeah Sam evidently saw something I sure af didn't see cause she sure af wasn't strong. Her name she be miss freeze cause that's all she does. Don't think I'll be going on to see if Ms. Freeze is okay.

[Helen Power · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this book was heart-wrenchingly good. Just a warning--it ends on a major cliffhanger!
Apparently the author has written this same book from Sam's POV (didn't the author of Twilight do that?) I guess I have to read that--after I read the sequel!

[Mertxe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars. This book was a young adult about a young broken girl. I read it very fast and enjoyed it but I felt empty with the heroine POV.

[Krystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh interesting story it definitely had potential, mid writing 🤷🏼‍♀️ it was fine 🤷🏼‍♀️

[my butterflies · Rating 3 out of 5]

well written but depressing

[Annie Brewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really hate what Rory does to Sam at the end but also understand her situation all too well. It's a shitty circumstance to be in but with Sam by her side, well, I'm just torn. Really I just loved Sam so much and now my heart is broken. I'm excited for his pov in the next book though. I started this last year and then life, plus other books got in the way of finishing it.
Also, I did feel awful for Cam.
I really hate her fucking father, along with that motherfucker Robin. Ugh. I hope they both die horrible deaths and burn in hell for all the shit they put Rory through. I seriously hope justice is served is all I can say.

[starrynight17 · Rating 1 out of 5]

horrible

[JG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gah, I love Danielle Pearl's books! I know YA/NA isn't everyone's cuppa, and I'm probably too old to openly admit to loving them, but this is one special story.

Having read and loved In Ruins, I knew I needed to step back in time to read Normal and the rest of the Something More series. Danielle Pearl has a wonderful writing style and her books easily draw you into the lives of those who live within her stories.

This book tells the story of Aurora “Rory” Pine as she starts a new school with, what we quickly come to realise, a whole host of emotional problems and baggage. Her first day isn’t without its challenges as she’s late for her first class and she realises that her new start is going to be a lot more difficult than she anticipated. That is until Sam stumbles across her outside of her classroom. Sam immediately sees the distress in her eyes and despite her smiling face, he realises that she needs his help. It’s apparent to us, and Rory, that Sam is immediately able to calm Rory and soon he becomes her anchor as she stumbles through her days whilst trying to avoid any possible triggers brought about by her old life.

Once one of her old school’s most popular students, Rory is determined to hide herself away and to ensure that her looks and behaviour don’t bring about, even more, problems for her. Rory doesn’t expect to know anyone at her new school but realises on her first day that this isn’t the case and she comes face to face with her childhood friend, Carleigh “Carl” Stanger and together, with her friend Tina. Carl and Tina know that Rory is hiding something but the only person she seems to be able to relate to and open up to, in part, is Sam.

As the story progresses, we swap from the past to present as we start to piece together what has happened to Rory a few years before to make her the broken girl that she is today. This part of the story isn’t an easy one to read, nor are the emotional outbursts that we witness when one of her painful memories are triggered. Whilst you can start to guess where Rory’s story is heading there are also a number of other shocking revelations along the way.

This really is a story of two sides: from the sweet bond Rory shared with Sam, despite their rocky road to happiness, to the darkness that comes from her past, we’re treated to a convoluted but perfectly penned story of hope. Rory is as broken as you would expect from her past encounters but it’s the way that Sam saves her which makes this story a magical one.

As I said above, although I enjoy YA books, this book feels altogether more mature in both its story and behaviour of the key players. It is easy at times to forget the age of the characters as we meld into their lives and live their hopes and dreams. There are emotional highs and brutal lows and overall this story packs a powerful punch as we step into Rory’s shoes.

I’m not sure that Recap will be for me. I don’t tend to connect well with POVs but saying that, the chance of hearing the story from Sam’s perspective may be too tempting. That said, I may read that after I recover from the cliffie at the end of Normal. Thank goodness Okay is available now or I’d scream in frustration! I need Rory and Sam to find their HEA, oh and for Rory’s ex and her father to experience the pain and suffering that Rory has had to endure!




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[Deborah G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not expecting this book to be...SO MUCH! This young teenage girl has experienced much more trauma than I have in my advanced years & I often wondered how she could go on. Even though she doesn't always react or handle circumstances well, she is my hero.
A year ago Rory lived in a small town in north Florida, she had two fairly happily married parents, good friends & a hot guy & star of the football team interested in dating her. With very little experience, a bit meek & quiet, Rory reluctantly accepted her relationship with Robin, her new boyfriend, would forgive as he pleaded with apologies, would succumb to his sweet words until the next time he would mistreat her. Rory saw this as her normal. Until she didn't.
Fast forward a year later, Rory & her newly divorced mother have moved to Long Island N.Y., she's at a new school with no friends, dresses plainly so as to be invisible, has major anxiety issues & many triggers. Her saving grace is the tiny bottle of medication on her person at all times & just knowing it is there with her gets her through each day.
Just before she enters the room to her first class of the day, Rory meets Sam while in the middle of a panic attack. From his first breath Sam is kind, intuitive & helpful & somewhat stuns Rory by his actions. It's as though he can sense her feelings, her thoughts & also some of her triggers. And as mentioned earlier, she has many. She shuns him at first, not wanting any of his attentions, but soon realizes that she's comfortable around him & welcomes his friendship.
This book delves into violence & unspeakable treatment that no young woman should endure, let alone ANY woman. Rory's boyfriend, Robin, is selfish, entitled & thinks only of his own pleasures. He is twisted beyond repair & yet no one else knows what is happening between the two. For the longest time Rory is silent.
We are also introduced to some wonderful people that become a close part of Rory's social group. This lightens the story up, adds some humour & insight into the high school dating world.
Sam is my guy though. He treats Rory like gold, is tentative before touching her, always asks if what he is doing or about to do ok with her & simply builds her up & gives her strength & confidence. There is a cliffhanger, which was sudden & unexpected & I wasn't thrilled with the idea of purchasing a mandatory second book to complete Sam & Rory's story. (A few seconds of moaning to myself & I'm over it now). This is a wonderful read, heartbreaking at times & I can't wait to see what develops next.

[Tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too predictable, downright depressing, and not very romantic. [I had just wrote a whole review but it accidentally got deleted, so this one is gonna be more vague]

The book overall was just too long and drawn out. The chapters that took place in the Present felt very dull and pointless. Unlike others, I was not really captivated by Sam (Not gonna lie, I’m not going to read the second book just because I’m totally fine that this one ended with their break up.) Plus, Cam would’ve been a far better love interest for Rory! Here are my main issues:


The Okay, but Repetitive Writing -

Now the author is not that bad of a writer. The story was interesting and held my interest for the most part. But like I said, the book was just too long when it didn’t have to be. There was also a lot of reused descriptors. Every time Sam enters the story, we are reminded of his “midnight blue eyes” and the fact that he looks like a supermodel. And I mean it when I say “every time.” It was also the same with Rory when she had to continuously remind us how she’s a tomboy at least once every chapter. It just got so annoying for me.

Also, the use of the names Sam and Cam? WTF? I don’t know if that was intentional, but I hated it.



A Weak Love Interest -

Sam’s character just did not really impress me. While the author established some history and personality to his character, I just really didn’t notice anything special about him other than his unrealistic godlike looks. [I never understand why romance authors almost always have to make their main characters be the most attractive people on the planet or something.] Sam just never really held my interest and he didn’t seem to be a good match for Rory, especially after it’s revealed in the end that he has anger issues (which were never really mentioned before). He had nothing on Cam, so I see why the author decided to take care of that issue...



An Overly Naive Heroine -

I felt like Rory had a strong presence in the novel. Her personality really came through and she felt very real to me. I felt so bad for her character after learning the difficult traumas she experienced. But she still felt almost too naive at some points. First of all, I didn’t understand how she never had an idea of what a healthy relationship should look like and the fact that abuse was not a normal thing, but that’s all I have to say about her past (by all means I don’t blame her for what happened, but I had no clue what gave her even the slightest idea it was normal/okay behavior other than the fact that was he was her first boyfriend). In the present, it wasn’t realistic how quickly she became comfortable with Sam, considering her past it just didn’t really make a lot sense to me. Even though at times she was overly cautious, other times it seemed like she threw all her rules out the window (i.e. going to parties, going back to Florida for Spring Break, walking outside a bar alone at night, etc.). For a girl with many triggers and a traumatic history, it seemed like she was making a lot of bad decisions at times or ones that didn’t align with her character.



A Weak Romance -

Throughout the novel, I felt like Sam and Rory were way better as friends. I just couldn’t really see them as a couple. All they shared was a history of abuse, but they didn’t have any similar interests or hobbies. Every time they talked, it was just about their pasts and not much else. I also didn’t really like how Sam was kind of pushing Rory to tell him her story at times, it bothered me quite a bit especially since it was so traumatic for her. I just didn’t really see a romantic connection between the two.

Rory and Cam would have been a stronger romantic relationship by far, combined with their well-established history and strong love for each other, their romance was far more believable. They made way more sense to me and their story was filled with way more intimate and captivating moments. This was just such a missed opportunity by the author. So disappointing.



The Unnecessary Demise of Cam -

Cam was by far my favorite character, yet he fell victim to needless literary murder. When he was barely mentioned in the Present chapters, I knew something had happened. Like I said, the book was very predictable and I already knew he was gonna be dead way before the actual reveal because of some not-so-subtle foreshadowing. Strangely though, the few times Rory mentions Cam, she never seems grief-stricken. It’s almost as if the author didn’t decide to kill Cam until the very end of writing the novel. And let me just say again, his death was pointless! It had almost no visible effect on Rory‘s character development, it just provided a depressing sub-plot in an already depressing novel. It was just such a cheap way to get rid of a great character, especially right after he and Rory had finally realized they had romantic feelings for each other. He had much greater depth to me than Sam did and Cam’s connection with Rory could never be matched. Sam and Rory just felt forced to me (it bothered me so much when Rory would compare them as is Sam was better than Cam). I feel like the author killed Cam for the sole purpose of writing Sam and Rory‘s story instead, which I didn’t even like in the end!



Overall, the book was okay but way too long and predictable. It would have been far better if we had just read about Rory’s past because the present added very little to the book. I would’ve rather just read a whole book about Rory‘s relationship with Cam and how it could’ve grown to something more. The author missed the mark completely with this one.

[Niamh Cahill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normal begins with Rory starting at a new school in a new town after moving away from her small hometown to escape Robin, a man who basically ruined her. Initially you feel for Rory as she has a panic attack during her first day... and then Sam... an adorable angel sent from above saves her and helps her through it. He was so sweet, and thus so unrealistic it would make anyone's heart swoon immediately.

This book is a refreshing read tackling real-world issues with a heart-wrenching romance in the middle of it all! I absolutely adored Sam right from when he was introduced, he's every girl's dream guy. He's suuuuuper sweet and I just couldn't get enough of him as the story progressed. He was popular and yet he wasn't an asshole, he didn't take advantage of Rory in her fragile state but stepped back and was patient with her, which was so understanding of him.

Rory... bless her little heart. I really felt for her, and I really enjoyed the mystery behind her character and what happened with her and Robin, it immediately hooked me and I couldn't put the book down! However at times she was so annoying, especially at the end of the book and sometimes I wanted to shake her so hard so she could see what was right in front of her, but this was very clever by Danielle Pearl as I think it highlights how going through something like Rory did can seriously change someone's character and the way they think.

And then there's Cam... he was another person that you instantly fall for from first meeting him, the way he protected Rory just made my heart melt. However this was also where Rory annoyed me as she was so oblivious to his affection for her! The references to him in the flashbacks were also very suspicious like... why would she leave someone like that? Boy, get your tissues ready!

Overall this book was spectacular and the author did such an amazing job, hooking me right from the first sentence. For anyone that likes any kind of romance or YA, this story is 10000000% for you, I absolutely loved it and am rating it 5 stars, as although sometimes Rory pissed me right off, I'm willing to overlook it due to Sam's cuteness overload. Finally, this romance wasn't too fast paced and you could feel Rory's feelings for Sam develop throughout, while her emotional story was also being revealed along the way, making it an all-round heart warming read.

Basically, read this book... NOW.

[Cassandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

...... This did not click with me. I didn't like the writing style I think... which put me off of the rest of the book.

Aurora was just hard to read. I might try again.... but I think I'm done with trying to get through this.

I need to stop trying to force myself through books before I make my head explode.